Halo: Trail of Ashes
by Didact
Summary: The year is 2552, and Earth is under siege by the Covenant. Dr. Endesha is a geology scientist, who has discovered something beneath New Mombasa. Something he believs the Covenant is looking for. Something UNSC needs to act against before it's too late...
1. 1 Always look for shit in the ground

**INITIALIZING HANDSHAKE PROTOCOL**

**CONNECTING…**

**//ONLINE//**

**[DATE: TIME]**

**OCTOBER 20 2552: 0830 HOURS**

**HOW MAY I BE OF SERVICE?**

Dr. Endesha: Virgil, can you access the traffic cameras? I need you to locate and mark all Covenant activity in the city and then upload it to NMPD, the military and to UNSC.

**WORKING…**

**ACCESSING NEW MOMBASA TRAFFIC SYSTEM…**

**JAMMING AND DEACTIVATING COUNTER-INTRUSION SOFTWARE… PLEASE PROCEED WITH CAUTION.**

**SYNCHRONIZING VIDEO-FEED…**

**ANALYZING…**

**UPLOADING COORDINATES…**

Dr. Endesha: Great Virgil. Divert the fleeing masses from the enemy. Shut the riot doors if necessary and use all public address systems to guide the people away and out of the city.

**WORKING…**

Dr. Endesha: And Virgil?

…

Dr. Endesha: Keep an eye on Sadie.

Dr. Endesha: Send a transmission to UNSC that we will assist them with Intel on Covenant activity. Give me the analysis of the findings under New Mombasa on screen three.

Dr. Endesha: [Examines the report, puzzled and frustrated] This can't be right. Virgil, attach this report to the transmission. Advice them to act against Covenant forces in this area before the discovery fall into enemy hands.

**SENDING…**

[FAILURE] PACKAGE INTERRUPTED

[ANALYSIS] AREA JAMMING

[SOLUTION] BOOSTING POWER TO COM STATION

**RECALIBRATING… PACKAGE SENT.**

**[FAILURE] …**

Dr. Endesha: Virgil, boost the COM to maximum power, otherwise we'll never break through the jamming. We need to send that transmission.

**[WARNING] INTRUSION DETECTED ON LEVEL 1B.**

**[STATUS] LONG-RANGE COMMUNICATION: OFFLINE**

**KEEP IT CLEAN…**

Security Officer: [Intercom] Doctor, the Covenant has penetrated the outer perimeter. You need to prepare for immediate evac… [Screams to nearby units] Set off those charges! [Explosion] Check those corners! [To Dr. Endesha] We're pulling you out, Doctor.

Dr. Endesha: With all due respect, I can't leave now.

Security Officer: Doctor, we're being overrun. It's leaving… or dying.

Dr. Endesha: I found something… under the ground. I think it's important that we inform the military of this finding.

Security Officer: Hey, I don't care if you've found a really big rock, or some really cool mud. My job is to get my men out of here… And I can't do that until you come with us.

Dr. Endesha: We don't know what it is yet. We need to get this to Naval Intelligence. It's not up to us to decide whether it's important or not.

Security Officer: I don't give a damn. You'll come with us, whether you want to or not. And this is nothing you can decide to abide or discard. It has been decided for you, by the top brass.

Dr. Endesha: Look, you moron. I think I found what the Covenant are looking for. It is vital that the headquarters get this information. Second, you can access the Superintendant's core units from here. We are by protocol responsible to secure it or deny it from enemy capture. [After a moment of silence] Look, we're only losing time arguing here. You know it, I know it. This is the right thing do. We need to stay here, and protect this facility. [Screen flashing, warning of advancing enemy group] Sergeant, rig topside floor with C12, and get down here. I might have a way out of this...

Dr. Endesha: [To Virgil] Get Sadie as far as possible away from here.


	2. Bad things always gets worse

**//2552, 20****TH**** OCTOBER, 0900 HOURS**

**IN ORBIT AROUND EARTH**

**NEAR CAIRO STATION//**

Captain Barton scrutinized the holographic map displaying the battlefield. The Covenant was really starting to tear into Earth's last defence. Although, there were some hope. The 3:1 loss ratio that usually applied to naval space combat didn't apply here. The Brute ship commanders had surprisingly little knowledge in tactical manoeuvring compared to the Elites. UNSC were able to outmanoeuvre the Brutes in larger proportion than in previous battles, but we were losing. And this was our last stand.

Captain Barton checked the status report one last time. MAC gun; offline. Archer pods; destroyed, and with most of the lower decks venting atmosphere, _King Leonidas_ wasn't a ship in battle condition. However, the reactor and engines were intact, therefore, with full manoeuvrability, the captain had designated the ship to act as a mobile field hospital. Areas had been cleared in the ship to make room for everyone in need of medical help. They received wounded from every nearby ship.

"Sir," shouted the COM officer, "Incoming transmission, priority Alpha. It's from the Admiral."

**United Nation Space Command Priority Transmission**

FLASH 1123V-01

ENCRYPTION CODE : BLACK

FROM: FLEET ADMIRAL TERRENCE HOOD

TO: CAPTAIN BARTON (UNSC KING LEONIDAS)

Captain,

I am hereby transferring a unit from 7th Battalion. You are to proceed to quadrant 15-Z where you are to drop off the ODST unit to planet surface. After planet insertion you will stand-by at current position, support planetary forces in any way possible and wait for new directive. UNSC _Say My Name _will assist you in case of an escalation in surface combat.

**/End Transmission**


End file.
